The Wild Card

by Kendall Ryan

Genres: Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Forced Proximity

Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 20, 2026

About the author

Kendall Ryan is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of flirty, feel-good romance filled with heart, heat, and plenty of banter. An American author who has lived all over the world, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into multiple languages. She writes swoony heroes, bold heroines, and stories that make you laugh, blush, and fall in love. When she’s not dreaming up new plotlines, she is a proud mom to two amazing sons and the wife of her real-life hero.


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Reviews

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grumpy FBI agent with no family. Sunshine cookbook author with a loud, crazy family. After their fake relationship removes the threat of his reassignment to Alaska, Crew shuts down and runs. Emmie tries to move on but can’t. With a little interference from their friends, they find their way.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Luisa Rivas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender, beautiful romance that made me melt, this story follows Crew, a man who lives inside strict routines to manage his anxiety and OCD, and Emmie, a bright, messy, charming cookbook author who walks into his ordered world and quietly turns it upside down. Their dynamic is soft, funny, and full of tiny moments that show how two opposite personalities can fit together in the most natural way.

I loved watching Crew slowly open up as Emmie brings warmth into his life — especially through food. He goes from eating the same rotation of four sad little meals to trying new dishes, new flavors, and new experiences, all because she makes him feel safe enough to try. And Emmie, who starts off a little lost in her own creative process, finds inspiration in cooking for the grumpy man who doesn’t know how to relax but learns to appreciate every bite she gives him.

Their relationship grows through everyday closeness, gentle respect, and a subtle humor that made me smile so many times. Crew’s brain “short‑circuiting” whenever Emmie looks particularly beautiful is priceless. And Emmie’s ability to balance his structure with her chaos makes them feel like two imperfect beings who are perfect together — two people who complement each other without ever trying to change who the other is.

Crew’s emotional journey is the heart of the book. He begins as someone who pushes love away before it can reject him, convinced he doesn’t deserve anything good. Watching him slowly realize he does deserve joy, connection, and a future was beautiful. His growth is steady, believable, and deeply touching.

The story has warmth, humor, and a lovely sense of belonging. It dragged a little in the middle, but the author quickly picked up the pace and delivered a romance that feels both comforting and hopeful. By the end, Crew’s transformation — from a man who fears love to a man who finally lets himself have it — made the whole journey worth it.

A wonderful, heartfelt love story about finding home in another person.

[Misty (Reds Romance & Mystery Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crew Jensen's life is always in order, never a detail amiss, everything runs like clockwork...that is until a slightly messy and unorganized cookbook author wanders into his world and turns it upside down. Now he finds himself doing things on a whim, straying from his usual diet, and pushing the limits on clockwork regimen, and it scares him more than a little!

The pages of The Wild Card will touch your heart and leave you with an unshakable smile on your face...these two are magical on the page! Crew Jensen is the type of guy that never strays from his set path, always does things with purpose and always has a plan... then he meets Emmie. Emmie is his complete opposite in about every way. She lives life as it comes to her, takes time to smell the roses, and always does things on the spur of them moment, and at first that drives Crew crazy. Then with a little urging from Emmie he starts to try new things, stray from his usual trusted path, and he begins to realize just how much he's been missing out on. He thinks they are too different to find common ground, but little by little love keeps pushing them in the right direction and suddenly things just start to make perfect sense... it's quite heartwarming to watch it all unfold!

Once again Ms. Ryan has introduced us to two characters who may not make sense at first glance, but little by little they start to find their way and create something so beautiful that there is no denying their compatibility. They find love and there is no bigger bond than that, it brings out the best of them and helps them see what they've been missing out on... and it's pure joy to watch it all fall into place. Ms. Ryan just has a knack for this stuff and I always look forward to seeing how it all comes together... nobody does it better in my book! Highly recommend this one, it's pages will bring you joy, smiles, and a very happy heart!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

🕵️‍♂️ FBI Agent x Cookbook Author
🧠 OCD Representation
💙 Anxiety
🎭 Fake Dating
🏡 Roommates
📍 Forced Proximity
🐈 Sweet Traitor Cat

The Wild Card is such a heartfelt, tender love story between Crew and Emmie, and it completely stole my heart.

For me, the true heart of this book was watching Crew slowly begin to believe that he deserved something—someone—good. His mental health struggles are handled with compassion and authenticity, and I appreciated how real they felt. Crew relies on strict, predictable routines to navigate his day-to-day life, and then along comes Emmie: sunshine wrapped in joyful chaos. She is genuinely the light to his darkness.

The attraction between them is there from the start, but what I loved most was the friendship they build first. Watching them settle into the comforting routine of sharing their days, becoming each other’s safe place, was incredibly healing… until it wasn’t.

Oh, Crew.

That man is absolutely his own worst enemy. The things he believes about himself—and what he’s convinced he’s capable of—are heartbreaking and, at times, completely paralyzing. My heart ached for him, and all I wanted was for him to see himself the way everyone else did.

I also loved the supporting cast. Foster and Sadie play such an important role in both Crew and Emmie’s lives, adding humor, encouragement, and the occasional nudge they desperately needed. And Emmie’s family was a fun… and her mom? 😂 Sweet, yes. But wow… she is a lot.

This story balances sweetness with sadness so beautifully. It has emotional depth, genuine character growth, plenty of chemistry, and enough heat to keep the romance sizzling, all while delivering a satisfying, hard-earned happily ever after.

If you’re looking for a romance with heart, vulnerability, lovable characters, meaningful mental health representation, and a hero you’ll desperately want to hug, The Wild Card absolutely delivers. What’s not to love?

Special thanks to the author and Booksprouts for the gifted copy 💕

[Lil Ms Reads A LOT · Rating 5 out of 5]

FBI Agent Crew Jensen needs to prove to his boss that he has local roots in order to prevent his being transferred to Alaska. When Emmie Marshall applies to be his roommate, she's perfect to be his pretend girlfriend-- only she doesn't realize that she's expected to pretend anything. Crew buries the clause about their fake dating inside of 17 pages of legalese and "roommate rules", which overworked and stressed Emmie has no time or desire to read before signing. She's authoring a cookbook and needs someplace to live that is within her very meager budget and will allow her to focus on making her deadline. Sure Crew is uptight, but his home is the perfect fit. She's determined to make this living arrangement work, even if it means taking in stride Crew's sneaking their fake dating into her lease agreement.

Crew grew up in the foster care system and now navigates life through rigid order, discipline, and under an oppressive blanket of anxiety and OCD. If he doesn’t let people close enough to see the mess underneath the surface, they can't get close enough to leave him. He wasn't anticipating that his new roommate and fake girlfriend would see past all of his carefully erected walls and blast her way through them. In her he found someone who truly sees and accepts him, growing to love him just as he is without attempting to change him.

Kendall Ryan writes stories that are easy to get swept up in. The characters I actually feel invested into whether or not they get together. Their backstory, the subtle changes they experience which eventually unfold into these epic ah-ha moments for them. With each story, I lose track of time. I truly felt my heartbeat slowing and calming while Crew was incrementally relaxing for the first time in his life. I love that her characters are messy, complicated, imperfect beings. The writing is beautiful and I highly recommend getting lost in The Wild Card. I would rate this 10 stars if I could.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Love doesn’t have to be perfect to be real."

A mutually beneficial arrangement.
A fake relationship with real benefits.

Control and order meets messy chaos! FBI agent Crew Jensen and cookbook author Emmie Marshall were the most unlikely couple yet they fit together without question. Their story was soft and tender, emotional and sweetly awkward, careful with a quiet warmth that left me laughing and blushing one minute, crying and heartbroken the next.

Crew never allowed himself to want things, afraid of losing them and thinking he was undeserving. His unspoken words spoke volumes. He stayed even when he was scared, showing up again and again. He was so out of his depth but in too deep to pull away.

I loved how Crew always put Emmie first, protecting her, caring for her, while she grounded him like an anchor. I loved how he was thorough with *everything*, the way he remembered the little things. How Emmie was never afraid to ask for what she wanted. Their relationship was honest and real, vulnerable and full of chemistry. I loved how Emmie brought down Crew's walls, piece by piece, slowly, then all at once. How he started to let people in, developing a foundation of trust. How Emmie brought color into his life, how she helped him realize he deserved good things. How she saw all of his broken pieces and loved him anyway.

This was a story about trust and intimacy, undeniable connection, family and belonging, unconditional love. It was about showing up, being present, enjoying the moment instead of committing it to memory. Finding your person, loving without boundaries and having hope for the future.

I absolutely loved this and highly recommend adding it to your TBR! ❤️

✨️Fake Dating
✨️Roommates
✨️Opposites Attract
✨️Forced Proximity
✨️Grumpy x Sunshine
✨️Touch Averse MMC
✨️Anxiety/OCD Rep

*Special thanks to author Kendall Ryan for this ARC! 🫶

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake dating? I'm SAT.

Crew is an FBI agent. His childhood trauma, anxiety and OCD make everyday life really difficult. So when his boss tells him he's up for a promotion that would send him to Alaska, his whole world starts falling apart.

Emmie is a cookbook author who needs to find an apartment ASAP. She interviews to be Crew's roommate and, to her surprise, gets the place. What she doesn't realize is that by signing the contract, she also accidentally agrees to be Crew's fake girlfriend so he can stay in Dallas.

Emmie completely stole the show for me. She's funny, chaotic in the best way, and has so much personality. I also loved her family, especially her mom. I was laughing so hard the first time she showed up because she's absolutely iconic.

Crew did get on my nerves a few times because there were moments when it felt like he needed a mom more than a girlfriend. Which kinda makes sense if you think about his childhood. But honestly, I ended up finding him really adorable. I loved reading about him experience so many firsts and seeing how he reacted to them. As someone who also deals with anxiety, I really connected with all of his overthinking. And while he's definitely the grumpy one, I feel like Emmie is the reason so many of his moments are as funny as they are.

The tension between these two was so good, and I especially loved all the quieter moments where they were alone together, opening up and being vulnerable with each other. Those scenes were honestly so sweet.

This was such a fun, easy read. Kendall Ryan's writing flows so naturally that I was hooked from the very first chapter, and before I knew it, I'd read half the book. It was my first book by this author but it definitely won't be my last. She's officially on my radar now.

[Sara Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kendall Ryan, I needed this book. This brought me so much joy and was the perfect distraction. Bravo!

In this novel, we have FBI agent Crew and cookbook author Emmie. Crew’s boss wants to transfer him to Alaska from Texas (burr) unless he can prove he has ties to Dallas. In walks Emmie. Looking for a roommate while she writes her next book, she feels safe bunking with Crew. Little does she know, Cree slipped a girlfriend clause into their roommate agreement. Suddenly, she’s on his arm at galas, cooking dinner for his boss, and slowing falling for the OCD, anxiety ridden man.

I loved Crew and Emmie. I felt they were characterized differently than the standard MMC and FMC. I truly felt like I knew them. We saw them as strangers, roommates, friends, lovers, and more. We saw Emmie’s love for cooking and cooking for her loved ones. We saw Crew struggle with his compulsive tendencies. There was so much growth, I loved every moment.

The plot was amazing. I always hate when the book ends the moment the couple says I love you. I want to know what happens next. I also dislike when the third act break up either feels out of the blue or is fixed in a chapter. Yes, there is a mid-book breakup. However, this helps with the growth of the characters. I accepted this and loved seeing them slowly come together. I appreciate seeing them fall in love again, explore that love, and share it with their loved ones. This was executed perfectly.

I’ve been a fan of Kendall Ryan for over ten years, and she is one of those authors where every new book is better than the last. I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

*An ARC was received from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled this book up. I love Crew and Emmie.
Crew is an anxious control FBI agent. With walls so high you need to be a mountain climber. He keeps everyone at arms length but when his boss suggests a transfer to Alaska he finds himself desperate to stay where his safe space is. A chance remark leads him to right a girlfriend clause into a roommate agreement. Emmie is desperate to find an apartment where she can try out her recipes as she’s on a deadline to write her cookery book. So she doesn’t spot the girlfriend clause and signs.
She manages to break into his regimented life with food and slowly she changes his ways.
When finding out about the agreement she takes pity on him and agrees but with her own provisos, 20 minutes cuddling time.
As they negotiate being fake girlfriend/boyfriend feelings edge in but when the assignment ends, his boss tells him he’s not being transferred, Crew ends things before she can leave him like everyone had always done.
Both miserable Crew buy a dilapidated cabin and works on it to try to forget about Emmie, she try’s to go on a date but her hearts not in it.
Still living together they realise the feelings are strong and when Emmie suggests a housewarming for the cabin feelings finally are revealed.
It takes a while but the relationship grows and the relationship is no longer fake.
When Crew meets her family it’s hilarious, her mom Linda is outrageous and her dad just goes along with it. But they call him family.
After the engagement the cabin scene is another lol scene especially the plant pot IYKYK

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book by Kendall Ryan! I was hooked within the first reading session, didn't put it down readily and finished in within 3 days. I usually pick the 'fake boyfriend' trope to read and this one didn't disappoint with the fake girlfriend roommate clause. The story is based around Crew, who needs to prove that he has roots within his life for his boss and Emmie, who is looking for a stable renting situation to finish out her draft cookbook. Emmie is such a caring and understanding FMC, who sees through Crew's first impression. Crew is a dream of an MMC in his caring, understanding and protection of Emmie although he doesn't see his own worth. There is a carefully written backstory around Crew, makes everything understandable.

This book is very well paced with a slow burn element, with personal growth of the two characters separately at points in the book. Side characters and Emmie's family are amazing and have depth, you want to be invited over to a Sunday dinner! Great setting description, Murphy is so cute within their home setting. #allthecuteness between Emmie and Crew, love this book and would recommend to others!
This is an ARC copy, thanks to Kendall Ryan and Booksprout for this copy. All opinions and viewpoints are solely my own. I will be looking for more Kendall Ryan books to read in the future...

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wild Card by Kendall Ryan
3 stars
Spice: 2.5/5

I have no idea how Kendall writes so many books a year! She has done pretty good at separating the plots!

However, this one fell slightly short for me. I liked it but I didn’t LOVE the book. I HATE to say this because I have anxiety and depression. I think it’s why I struggled with really finding Crew with big heart eyes as the main male character. There were aspects of him that I loved and were uniquely him. At the same time, I felt like he absolutely didn’t know how to be a human AT ALL and for like 85% of the book. It got old. I also think that another reason I felt it got old was because his job was an FBI agent. I feel like you need to know how to be somewhat of a human to be an FBI agent, but I could totally be wrong.

I loved Emmie’s character. I found her interesting, sassy, cute, and full of spunk. Obviously, pretty much the opposite of Crew’s character. I fully understood why Crew was the way he was, but I felt it took over.

The scenarios where Crew and Emmie started to get close were done great and I enjoyed those scenes!

Cute book overall!

#bookreview #arc #fakedating #kendallryan #bookblogger

[Pamela Lilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh I absolutely love this story. I love both Crew and Emmie, two exact opposites who totally complement each other in the strangest of ways, they just get each other. Emmie is the sweetest girl, a really genuinely nice girl, who hasn’t got a mean bone in her body. Crew might not be your traditional hero, everything he does (even the stupid things), he does for good reason. What a beautiful and at times highly emotional read, with a hero to truly look up to. An entertaining slow burn fake romance with some super fun laugh out loud moments throughout. In and amongst there are some truly heartbreaking scenes that come from an anxious and unapologetic introvert with firm personal boundaries, someone who is relationship averse (for good reason I might add), who doesn’t believe he deserves some sunshine in his life. It just so happens that Emmie is pure sunshine, and lucky for him she doesn’t give up easily. What a wonderful read with wonderful characters throughout, even the supporting characters left an impression with me. There’s not one thing I would change about this story. I loved every second of it. Also - that cover! I love it, that’s exactly how I pictured Emmie and Crew. I received an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

[Kelsey Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Card is a super sweet read about an FBI agent who grew up thinking he could never be loved and a chaotic and outgoing cookbook author who has only ever wanted to find her person. Kendall Ryan continues to right sweet stories with characters who have complicated stories of their own. Crew, is an FBI agent who grew up in foster care and is battling his own demons. He has only recently found a support system and finds that he may be transferred to Alaska. Emmie is trying to complete her third cookbook, but is lacking inspiration and a place to live. She is relieved to find a place in Crew's condo, but is unaware that he has a clause about being his fake girlfriend to hopefully avoids a transfer.

I loved reading Crew and Emmie's story and the way that they could both anticipate each other's needs and validate their insecurities. This book is definitely a comfort read and I enjoyed reading it! Crew and Emmie are complete opposites, but it was sweet reading how they found a home in one another. I definitely recommend this book for those of you who love an opposites attract/fake dating romance.

Thank you Kendall for the ARC!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an ARC of The Wild Card by Kendall Ryan, supplied by Booksprout, and I’m happy to offer this honest review. Emmie and Crew were fascinating characters. I really enjoyed getting to know them and watching them get to know and to trust one another. Their chemistry was terrific. I thought the author was courageous to tackle mental health issues and did so with love and empathy.
However - while I recognise that a character/person might, at times, feel frustrated with themselves and even “broken” or that ignorant people might consider them not “normal” - I would hope that someone who’d been in therapy for years and making progress would at least know that those aren’t healthy or fair attitudes and that they would catch and correct themselves from such negative self talk. We are all special and weird in our own ways. “Normal” is a false social construct.
But I really enjoyed the book and recommend it for anyone who likes a slow burn between characters who are dealing with their own challenges but who discover they are stronger together.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crew is an FBI agent and his boos wants him to take a job in Alaska. However, he doesn’t want to go but he has nothing tying him down. So he decides to put in a ad for a roommate.

In comes Emmie, who is looking to get out of her best friend’s sofa. She is an author for cookbooks. So she immediately falls in love with his kitchen. She signs the 17 page roommate agreement without reading it. And he also has a cat named Murphy.

Crew decided to add a girlfriend agreement in it and he knows that he needs to tell her. And there are rules that she has to follow. She then decides that he needs rules as well. They start to fall for each other little by little.

Crew is use to people leaving and this is all foreign to him, but he realizes that he likes it. He especially loves cuddling. His coworkers say they love the new change. His boss loves his girlfriend and tells him he doesn’t have to move to Alaska.

He makes a mistake and he ends it with Emmie. However he is miserable and so is she.

This does end with an HEA.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a romance that takes your breath away and captures your heart and soul. These characters, Crew and Emmie especially, are layered, complex and completely lovable.

Crew and Emmie's story is worth the effort to jump into their world, where you will find the fragile spirit and resilience of humanity and the beauty of finding your one person that accepts and loves you.

Crew believes he's broken, but Emmie knows he's a special one of kind man that fills her heart with love and laughter. Emmie feels she has many shortcomings, but Crew finds her to be a perfect blend of light, possibilities and tenacity that is irresistible.

I have so many favorite scenes in this book that I think the element of surprise as you read will add to your experience. So, please trust me when I say this is a must read for anyone who can't resist their heart pounding, the laughter, the tears, the sweetness and the unwavering love when they find a book that is special.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

He buried a fake-girlfriend clause in a seventeen-page roommate agreement.

She signed it without reading.

What could possibly go wrong?

Now that's what I call an unforgettable romance!

From the moment Emmie and Crew had their first interaction, I knew I was in for a treat. Crew likes things clean, organized, and follows a very strict routine. But when Emmie answers his roommate ad, his entire world gets turned upside down. Emmie is chaos rolled into a ball of sunshine. She challenges him at every turn and shows him a life he never knew he wanted or could have. The chemistry between Emmie and Crew leapt off the pages and had me begging for more. And the yearning....the yearning...it was so palpable. Ugh! I couldn't get enough of it. And when you add in the spot-on mental health representation...All I can say is that this book was all that and then some.

The Wild Card is a swoon-worthy and unforgettable romance that I won't be forgetting anytime soon.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*

[Louise O · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Card, WOW.. I was not expecting that!

FBI Agent Crew Jensen is not sociable guy, he has his routines, everything is does is planned and especially when there is a transfer to Alaska on the table he will do anything to keep it that way; which now includes a fake girlfriend clause in the roommate agreement.

Emmie is desperate to find a new place and Crew's offer with a great monthly rent price and a kitchen she can utilise for her cookbook which is not sparking any progress as she draws to her deadline.

When everything is out in the open, Emmie has her own clause to add which might just be what Crew needs without even realising it.

You would think these 2 wont work, but they do. Their differences compliment each other and fill out what they were missing.

I really enjoyed this story, especially their friends who were rooting for them from the beginning!

Overall 4/5

[Deanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! I’ve only ever read Kendall’s hockey romance books so this was a bit of a departure from that but I still enjoyed it. I was cracking up at interactions between Crew and Emmie’s first meet. It was a total cluster-fork in the best way.

They really did end up making a good team though! Emmie saw through Crew’s grumpiness and strict need for control to the softer guy underneath. She taught him how to open up and accept not just help but love too.

I enjoyed their friends too! It was lots of cheeky banter and teasing but with a side of real talk in between. I can’t remember if this was a standalone or a series but I’ll be curious to know who’s up next if so!

Kendall Ryan has become a new fave author of mine and The Wild Card was fun and easy to read. Kendall’s books are always fairly light, not too dramatic, and the perfect books to escape the real world in. Count me in for the next book please!!

[Soft and Sinister · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read a book of Kendall Ryan that I didn't love! This one is no exception.
To start off... this MMC - oh my goodness! I wanted to wrap him in a hug this whole book! Even when he was stupid, I just couldn't help but to feel so bad for him.
Crew really had so much to work through just to let our FMC - sunshine in a bottle - into his life. She came in guns blazing and just owned who she was but inwardly also had the insecurities of being too much. Emmie was really such a force to be reckoned with and I loved everything about her.
The lack of communication drove me insane and it became a bit frustrating at times.
Overall this book was beautifully written, the slow-burn was done to perfection and I adored the side characters - especially Emmie's mother! Thank you Kendall Ryan for another amazing hea!

[Barbara Hackel · Rating 5 out of 5]

She needed an apartment. One that was safe, affordable, and a kitchen to test recipes for her cookbook.
He wanted a roommate to share rental expenses, and a fake girlfriend so he wasn't forced into moving to Alaska for work.
He had a 17 page roommate agreement with a specific fake girlfriend clause.
Neither expected love.

This fun book was a delight from beginning to end. Lots of awkward moments, harsh reality, and genuine happiness. Emotional details about Crew's childhood and different challenges he faced were patiently accepted by by Emmie. She supported him and he supported her until fake turned into reality and complications.

Patience, understanding, forgiveness, humor, and love made this book one that stayed in my thoughts long after the final page. A book that is not just another reworked plot you've read too many times. I loved it!.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love Crew Jensen!
Oh my gosh, this book was incredible! Crew Jensen is such a complex man, but oh man, is he a keeper. When he meets Emmie and tricks her into being his pretend girlfriend, I almost died how he did it. This man has so many layers that you literally want to peel each one off to get to the core of him. Sure, he is different, but all it takes is the right woman to see the wonderful man that he is and luckily for him, Emmie is that woman. These two were absolutely perfect for each other. Emmie needed someone to choose her and put her first and listen to her and Crew was just the man for her. He not only listens to her, but he remembers everything she tells him. And this man thinks he’s not romantic, but when he set up the first date for them, it was perfect! I wish I could give this story more then 5 stars because it really does deserve at least 10!

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. This is one I would reread many times, a story that hits so close to home, emotional, real-life struggles with characters that could be your family or friends.

Crew is complicated, he has learned that order and routine allow him to function within normal parameters in life. He isn’t expecting love, partnership and family. Why should he, life has shown him that everyone leaves. So when Emmie shows up and brings so much color nd life to his structured world, after he stops fighting it, he doesn’t want to let her go.

Be ready to laugh, stomp your foot in anger and cry as this book has it all, including a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Andrea Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a page turner. Wild Card by Kendall Ryan is one unputdownable story. I had all the emotions in this book! I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I rooted so deeply for these characters.

Crew Jensen, FBI agent. A man who doesn’t deviate from his schedule. A man who needs things his way. A man who needs to be loved and wants it. But he never knew how much he needed someone until Emmie Marshall became his roommate. Until he slipped in a fake girlfriend clause. Until they were both in too deep. Ahhhh…these two were just so good. Emmie was everything Crew needed. Read this book! Romance perfection.

Highly recommended.

Thank you to Booksprout and the author for my copy. All thoughts and opinions are those of my own.

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

FBI agent Crew Jensen does not want to get transferred so he does something a little unique when he gets roommate Emmie Marshall. He adds a little clause to his roomie contract saying she will be his faux girlfriend. She needs a place to stay to finish her cookbook and he needs the perception of a “stable relationship.“ Can they find a way to work together and convince everybody they’re together without actually falling for the one another? Oh, what a fun grumpy sunshine romance. I loved Crew and all his quirks dealing with his OCD. I could definitely relate to a few of them. They may be completely opposite but they also compliment each other perfectly. Told in first person and dual P0V.

[Amour.Rebelle.Reads (Bran.d) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crew absolutely owned my heart. After everything he’d been through, all I wanted to do was give that man the biggest hug. Watching him work through his past and slowly let someone in was so worth it.

Emmie was exactly the type of person he needed. She was patient, supportive, and never gave up on him, even when he made it difficult😏. I loved the way they balanced each other, and their chemistry felt so natural.☺️

Side note… Emmie’s parents are absolutely adorable! They added so much warmth to the story, and I loved every scene they were in.😜

This one has heart, healing, plenty of swoony moments, and a hero you’ll be cheering for from beginning to end. 💜

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is a well and fluent written love story about two people who couldn’t be more different then they were.

It was fun to read how the h is so open and full of energy joy and love finds her way into the Heroes heart and soul without being naive or afraid to open her heart.

The Hero’s condition was very good explained and I felt so for him and his struggles to open up towards heroine.
A cute and beautifully written love story.

I just wished the author would have give us more insight on his job.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brenda Orozco · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could genuinely relate to this book. I’ve been grappling with anxiety, and Kendall’s portrayal of Crew was remarkably accurate. It’s like going around trying to figure out what helps until you finally find the effective solution and the something comes up and tries to upend all the progress made. Emmie and Crew were an ideal match, without a doubt. Emmie had her deals going on too and she was what Crew needed to help tone down him a bit. I love these fake relationships that eventually blossom into something genuine. Kendall Ryan is gradually becoming a favorite of mine; her books are really good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa Tantsits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmie and Crew’s story was amazing! When Crew needs to have a reason to not be transferred to Alaska, he “forces” Emmie to agree to being his fake girlfriend with his roommate clause. Little does he know that Emmie is going to make him want things he never imagined. Crew is so regimented and feels unworthy of normal life milestones and Emmie makes him question it all with her bubbly personality and how she truly sees him. This book was so beautifully written and makes you truly feel for both Crew and Emmie. This is an absolute must read!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephanie Villere · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wild Card is written by Kendall Ryan. We have an emotionally stunted FBI agent in need of a fake girlfriend. When Crew decides to trick his new roommate and force her to be his pretend girlfriend, he gets a little more than he was hoping for. Emmie is sort of like carbonated sunshine in a bottle, just a little bit of a shake and all of her sunshine comes bubbling out. Its sweet, funny, original, sexy and my favorite of hers this year, until the next one, of course. :-).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.